Guest bedroom design ideas

A well-designed guest bedroom will make friends and family feel welcome, even when they are far from home. Use vibrant colour, hotel-style furnishings and touchable textures to make your guest room a place people can’t wait to spend time in.

If you want to be the perfect host for your guests, there’s nothing more luxurious than showing them to their own, beautifully decorated bedroom. Providing your guest with all of their favourite home comforts – beautiful bedding, plenty of storage and even a light to read by at night, will all add up to a wonderful experience for your loved ones.

Create a room that is clean and serene with a neutral backdrop that will please any taste. A hotel-style room is chic and elegant and will be a pleasure to stay in. Opt for soft furnishings in muted hues of grey, brown and white to evoke a feeling of calm for your guests.

Or show your personality with a themed room that your guests will instantly recognise as your own style. A pop of your favourite colour, furniture styles in keeping with the rest of your home or your favourite wall art will remind your guests of your personality and tastes.

If you don’t have the room to create a spare place just for guests, why not partition off another room to create a small area for guests to sleep? Choosing to section off part of your living room and sticking to a minimalist design won’t take up much space, but will mean your home instantly becomes more welcoming to loved ones. Take a look at these bedroom storage ideas for more inspiration.

If you’re really struggling with space, have a look at our pick of the best sofa beds.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image1of69

Image credit: Paul Massey

Serene guest bedroom

Create an attic bedroom that provides your guests with somewhere calm and serene to recharge their batteries. This guest bedroom has been painted in a tonal grey hue to create a calm and tranquil space, with enough warmth and texture to stop them being monastic.

Attic guest bedroom

Attic rooms are the perfect place to create a guest or spare bedroom. By their very nature, they tend only to be used occasionally, so sloping ceilings and a confined space is less likely to be an issue for the user. Here, built-in warbrobes provide plenty of space for luggage and clothes.

Sectioned-off guest bedroom

Don’t have the space for another bedroom? Section off a space in your living room. The double doors allow the sun to stream right through, while the white painted walls and lack of clutter makes this bedroom a haven for relaxation. Add a reading light and a sideboard for storage and you’re good to go.

Multifunctional guest bedroom

This modern bedroom features pops of colour – from a stylish teal chair to a selection of cosy blue rugs. If you guests are in it for the long-haul, provide them with plenty of space for them to store away their belongings. A lamp on each side of the bed will ensure one guest can delve into a spot of nightime reading, while the other one can enjoy an uninterupted snooze.Similar bedThe French BedroomSimilar bed linenThe White Company

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image5of69

Basement guest bedroom

Converting the basement into a spare room is a popular solution. The chandelier, wall sconce and table lamp is a clever way of getting around the problem
of limited or no natural light. A glamorous bed has been paired with embroidered linen to even out the rustic wall with a romantic element.

Twin guest bedroom

Smartly dressed twin beds are not only practical, they can also be very decorative, as this bedroom scheme displays. The table lamps are another practical if you want to provide a bedside light for late night reading by one guest, and not the other.

Attic bedroom with private bathroom

Some guests are more regular overnight visitors than others – family members in particular – try to incorporate a bathroom so your guests can be self-sufficient during their stay. An internal ‘box’ within this bedroom houses an en-suite bathroom with an open ceiling, designed to offer privacy while allowing the double-height beams to remain in view.

Themed guest bedroom

Think themed bedrooms are outdated? Think again! A theme can totally set your bedroom apart from the rest of the house. This twin guest bedroom is inspired by botanical pieces. Decorative headboards are set against a charcoal blue backdrop, creating a bold look.

Restful guest bedroom

With casual yet comfortable décor, a relaxed bedroom scheme will make your guests feel right at home. Use misty tones to create an ethereal atmosphere in your bedroom. Choose textured bedlinen and contemporary artwork to keep the look fresh and modern.

Multi-use space

If you don’t want a double bed taking up space in your guest bedroom, consider a daybed, which can also be used as a sofa. Then, when you do have guests to stay, they have somewhere to sleep, but for the rest of the time you can use the space as a second sitting room, home office or children’s playroom.

Stylish storage solutions

Most people do not use their guest bedroom on a daily basis, so it is the perfect room for storing those things you might not need all the time, but don’t want to put in the loft. To prevent your guest bedroom from becoming a dumping ground, choose some functional-yet-stylish under-bed storage. We love how these pink and grey boxes slide neatly under the bed and tie in with the room’s colour scheme.

Colourful bedroom

To re-create the individuality that a boutique hotel offers, don’t be afraid to push boundaries by mixing patterns and fabrics. For the ultimate comfort, invest in sumptuous bedlinen and choose accessories with character for depth of interest.

Glamorous bedroom

Reminscent of hotel-style rooms, deep brown walls and luxurious textures create a cosseting feel in this glamorous guest bedroom. A vanity area and bath make this the perfect retreat for overnight visitors.

Patterned bedroom

If it’s sophistication that you’re after, a statement headboard covered in a bold patterned fabric is a great starting point. Introducing vibrantly coloured walls and tactile fabrics to the mix is a good way to intensify the luxurious feel of the scheme.

Serene bedroom

Limiting the colour palette to similar hues on walls, furniture and bedding is a visual trick that can make the room appear larger. A soothing palette of of stone, grey and beige lift this cosy guest bedroom, while subtle personal touches create a lived-in feel.

Block-colour bedroom

Occasionally used spaces such as guest rooms offer the ideal opportunity to be decoratively bold and experimental. A confident use of bold block colour offset by flashes of pattern will create a sophisticated look that reflects the feel of a weekend away. Similar bedlinenHouse of Fraser

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image19of69

Image credit: Robert Sanderson

French-inspired bedroom

A cream and blue blind with a French-inspired design creates the basis for this neutral scheme with touches of deep blue adding interest. Keep to a neutral backdrop, with toning shades of taupe for walls and carpet. Similar blind fabricLewis & Wood

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image20of69

Image credit: Robert Sanderson

Twin bedroom

Make space for girly sleepovers in a colourful teenager’s bedroom. Citrus green throws are a bright contrast to the candy pink walls in this children’s guest bedroom, creating a fun look. The mix of patterns, floral and spots, add interest easily.

Country bedroom

Create a soft, luxurious look with oriental-style wallpaper in powder pink. A carved French-style bed adds a sense of grandeur. Layered with a cosy floral quilt and fluffy cushions it makes a welcoming place to rest and relax.

Hotel-style bedroom

A statement padded feature wall is the ultimate is opulent style. Layer a kingsize bed with oversized throws for a comfortable night’s sleep and luxe lounging provides your guests with somewhere calm and serene to recharge their batteries.

Bedroom with zesty green wall

Create a feel-good mood in your guest bedroom with a bold colour that is
sure to make your guests wake up with a smile in the morning. A zesty
green wallpaper alongside white shutters and an iron bed creates a
vibrant look in this modern bedroom.

White bedroom with four-poster bed

The simple graphic lines of this four-poster bed stand out against the
pale backdrop. A colourful red bedspread that came from Goa adds
vibrancy to this cool white bedroom
scheme. The smart leaded windows are such a feature of the house that
blinds and curtains have been kept simple throughout to let them shine.

Neutral bedroom with botanical accessories

Be inspired by the natural world with these botanical prints. Pale walls are bolstered by a bold pink striped bedcover in this country-style bedroom scheme. For the ultimate hotel-style bed, arrange pillows vertically (not on their corners) in a neat formation with the largest pillows at the back and the smallest cushions at the front, creating a triangle from the headboard downwards.

Neutral bedroom with floral bedlinen

Make sure your guests are warm and cosy during the colder months by
providing plenty of bedding and throws. Place table lamps beside the bed
to provide easy reading light and use lighter wall colours, such as
neutral, to soothe. Having table lamps on either side of the bed is a
practical option, ideal for late-night reading by one guest, and not the
other.

Country-style white bedroom

The pared-back simplicity of this room gives it a zen-like quality – ideal for providing a restful sleep for your guests. Floral soft furnishings and original wooden beams combine to create a pretty note in this neutral country bedroom scheme.

White bedroom with striped living area

Some guests are more regular overnight visitors than others – family members in particular – so it is a nice idea to follow the hotel approach and create a room that includes a sitting room arrangement, like the one seen here. A sofa and armchair make this country-style bedroom the perfect retreat for a restful night.

Modern hotel-chic bedroom

Give your guests the ultimate sleepover with a smart hotel-style guest bedroom. Keep to a mainly neutral backdrop, with toning shades of white for the walls and carpet. Cream walls and a white leather headboard, matched with a black throw and mirror, create a modern look in this bedroom. The earthy cushions add a shot of colour.

Practical bedroom with bookcase

Place bedtime comforts within easy reach: a bedside table lamp, a luggage rack and a bookcase full of books and magazines. If you know your guests like to put their feet up and delve into a good book before bed, it might be worth positioning an armchair with a footstool for their comfort.

Serene bedroom

Spending time with friends can be an exhausting experience for visitors and hosts alike so create a bedroom that provides your guests with somewhere calm and serene to recharge their batteries.The shades of grey and white seen here are gentle on the senses, the bed is wide enough to collapse on and relax, and the bedside radio is a personal touch your guests will appreciate.

Attic bedroom

Attic rooms are the perfect place to create a guest or spare room. By their very nature, they tend only to be used occasionally, so sloping ceilings, a confined space and limited storage is less likely to be an issue for the user. Modern plumbing systems mean you can easily create a simple bathroom up here too, so guests can avoid that embarrassing “Can I, can’t I use the bathroom” experience.

Hotel-style bedroom

Be clever with your use of a large space; here, a panelled part wall hives off one end of the bedroom to create a small bathroom, and to provide a dramatic decorative feature that doubles as a backboard for the four-poster bed. Use interesting wallcoverings, bedlinen and small pieces of furniture instead of excessive accessorising to create a sense of personality.

Bedroom with play area

These days, we expect most rooms to have more than one use, particularly in a family home, and a spare room is the perfect place to double as somewhere the children can use as a TV-play room. Toys can be quickly tidied away into boxes or cupboards, and a pull-out sleigh bed is the smart way to solve the sofa-bed dilemma. Put the television inside a cabinet so you can hide it away whenever you or guests want to.

Basement bedroom

Converting the basement into a spare bedroom is a popular solution. The all-white scheme seen here is a clever way of getting around the problem of limited or no natural light. Try to incorporate a bathroom so your guests can be self-sufficient during their stay. As with attic conversions, you will need expert advice to turn your basement into a bed-bath space.

Study bedroom

A built-in desk and shelving arrangement using materials that co-ordinate with the bedroom furniture, such as the design seen here, is a smart way to create an office-bedroom. Be ruthless with your paperwork – the filing system here is decorative but hugely practical – and even if you have no guests using the room, tidy up and leave the room spotless every night; it makes it feel so much easier to start work there again the next time.

Loft bedroom

If you are blessed with a large house, then why not create a guest bedroom that is all about the experience, the fantasy of escape for your visitors. The attic room seen here is a classic Italian country villa room that you could recreate anywhere: after the conversion, your greatest cost will be installing faux rounded beams and terracotta tiles, but you could go for a trompe l’oeil instead.

Twin bedroom

Smartly dressed twin beds are not only practical – not all of your guests will want to share a bed but they may well be happy (and need to) share a room – they can also be very decorative, as this room scheme displays. The wall lights are another practical but beautiful detail, although you might want to provide a bedside-height light for late night reading by one guest, and not the other.

Multipurpose bedroom

Some guests are more regular overnight visitors than others – family members in particular – so it is a nice idea to do more than provide their own bathing facilities and a drawer into which they can unpack their things. They may want to spend time quietly relaxing during the day, not just at night, so if at all possible, follow the hotel approach and create a room that includes a sitting room arrangement, like the one seen here.

Bedroom with storage

There is no shame in using the spare or guest bedroom as a storage room. The trick is to make the stored pieces part of the arrangement so that there is still room for visitors to sleep comfortably. The low but wide bookcase in this room keeps clutter contained, while leaving room on the wall above for more shelving – you could use it to hang pictures, or hats, or similar pieces so they appear decorative but again, are carefully stored out of harm’s way.

Hotel chic bedroom

Make your guests feel as though they are staying in a luxury hotel with a grand headboard, upholstered in grey to match the duvet and lampshades. Shimmering cushions in gold and burgundy add to the sense of hotel style, while matching bedside tables and lamps create a symmetrical, and more formal, feel.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image44of69

Bold bedroom

Have fun in your guest bedroom! The elaborate pattern of the black damask-style wallpaper is echoed in the striking cushion, giving this bedroom a five-star statement. Elegant black furniture completes the look.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image45of69

Restful bedroom

Marine blue accents add definition to this classic-style guest bedroom. French-style furniture looks great next to the floral Toile de Jouy bedlinen, while the fitted window seat is a great place for relaxing.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image46of69

Dramatic bedroom

The striking navy wallpaper behind the bed co-ordinates with the stunning curtains in this elegant guest bedroom. Dark wood furniture adds to the sophisticated look, and tall mirrors behind the bedside tables are an eye-catching feature.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image47of69

Floral bedroom

Decking out this feminine bedroom in Toile de Jouy gives it a classic-style look. The pink curtains are teamed with matching bedlinen and provide colourful accents against the cream walls. Antique furniture like the reading chair and bedstead complete the look.

Loft bedroom

White walls and cream carpet give this loft space a light and fresh appearance. Built-in wardrobes follow the dimensions of the exposed roof beams and blend into the scheme, while the walnut sleigh bed and red Persian rug add colour and depth.

Hotel chic

Give your guests the ultimate sleepover with a smart hotel-style guest bedroom. Keep to a mainly neutral backdrop, with toning shades of taupe for the walls and carpet.

Position bedside tables either side of the bed and an ottoman for storage at the end. Then add lots of luxury touches, with a plush upholstered bed, crisp cotton bed linen and quilted satin throw.

For the ultimate hotel-style bed, arrange pillows vertically (not on their corners) in a neat formation with the largest pillows at the back and the smallest cushions at the front, creating a triangle from the headboard downwards.

Cosy tartan

Make guests feel welcome with a warm, cosy guest room for them to escape to.

A smart grey tartan wallpaper will set a country theme for the room but you can add a light-hearted feel with modern accessories like this antler coat hook.

A leather sleigh bed is the focal point of this bedroom. Dress it with grey flannel bed linen and pillows with ticking stripes for an unfussy look that isn’t too feminine for male guests. Add a chunky cable knit throw for extra cosiness.

Light and airy

While most spare bedrooms are on the small side, you can make yours feel more spacious with the right colour scheme.

Go for pale off-white walls and flooring to help reflect light around the room and make it feel bright and airy.

Avoid large, bulky pieces of furniture that will overcrowd the space and go for just a few key pieces, such as this pale painted bed, simple cube bedside tables and a slimline console and mirror to create a dressing area.

Wicker boxes under the bed provide additional storage for clothes or bedding.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image53of69

Image credit: Dan Duchars

Hidden storage

If you’re lacking wardrobe space for guests, make the most of any unused areas.

Alcoves are a neat way of squeezing more storage into a bedroom. Just fix up a simple hanging rail or row of shelves for storing clothes, or you could go for an adjustable storage system like this one.

Keep clothes and clutter out of sight, by fitting up a rail and curtain outside the alcove so you can pull the curtain across when you want to hide everything away.

Click or tap to zoom into this image

This is image54of69

Image credit: Simon Whitmore

Lofty living

If you could do with more space, why not consider turning your loft into a guest bedroom. It can double-up as a family den ? a sofa bed is a great investment as you’ll have an extra living space as well as somewhere for guests to sleep.

Plan your storage to make the most of the available space under any sloping ceilings. Choose a modular system with units in varying heights so that you can fit them into any awkward spaces.

If you fit a skylight window, be sure to fit a blind or curtain panel to prevent light from flooding into the room in the early hours.

Finishing touches

Sometimes it’s the small details that count most. Make your guests feel comfortable and at home by making up a small welcome kit. Include clean towels, soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste and a cosy pair of slippers.